title: Acid and pepsin secretion in chronic Chagas' disease patients in response to graded doses of pentagastrin and pentagastrin plus bethanecol.
abstract: Gastric acid and pepsin secretory responses to graded doses of pentagastrin were measured in 12 Chagas' disease patients and 18 control subjects, and in 7 Chagas' disease patients and 6 controls the study was repeated with an infusion of bethanecol. Calculated maximal outputs of acid and pepsin (Vmax) and responsiveness (D50) of the acid- and pepsin-secreting cells to pentagastrin were lower in the chagasics. Bethanecol had no significant effect on pentagastrin-stimulated gastric secretions in controls. The impairment of responsiveness of the gastric secretory cells in Chagas' disease patients was fully corrected by bethanecol.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001626:Bethanechol Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005744:Gastric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010418:Pentagastrin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010434:Pepsin A / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001626:Bethanechol Compounds; D010434:Pepsin A; D010418:Pentagastrin